Former astronaut Mark Kelly, the husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, said Tuesday he is running to be an Arizona senator.
Mr. Kelly, a Democrat, launched his campaign with a video emphasizing teamwork and family.
“It becomes pretty obvious pretty early when you get into space that we’re all kind of in this together,” he said in the video.
The video highlighted his identical twin brother and his mother, who became a female police officer in the 1970s. It showcased his time as an astronaut and time as a U.S. Navy captain.
But the rollout placed the biggest emphasis on Mr. Kelly’s relationship with his wife, who was nearly killed in a shooting in 2011. Mr. Kelly and Ms. Giffords discussed her shooting, her recovery and their focus on the future.
“What I learned from my wife is how you use policy to improve people’s lives,” he said.
Among the issues highlighted in the video were affordable health care, climate change and wage stagnation.
Mr. Kelly will run in a special election for the late Sen. John McCain’s seat in 2020, which is currently held by Republican Sen. Martha McSally.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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